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Corn conditions slide on heat, dryness: USDA
Jeff Caldwell
06/11/2012 @ 3:30pm
Multimedia Editor for Agriculture.com and Successful Farming magazine.
The hot, dry weather's taking a toll on the nation's corn crop.
Monday's USDA-NASS Crop Progress report shows the number of corn acres in good-to-excellent condition dropped 6% over the last week, with the amount in the 3 lower categories (very poor, poor and fair) picking up the slack. Soybeans fared only slightly better, with 60% of that crop in the top 2 quality categories versus 65% last week.
On the positive side, winter wheat conditions bumped slightly as USDA on Monday registered 35% completion in wheat harvest as of Sunday, up 15% from last week and more than triple the average pace for this week of the year.
Some rains have fallen over the last couple of days in the Corn Belt, bringing relief to farmers in spots like western Iowa, where some farmers reported getting more than 2 inches of rain Sunday night and into Monday. But, rains were lighter in many more areas, falling short of providing much relief for farmers in areas where the drought is intensifying. |
